Latin America Poultry at a Glance

Poultry health challenges require changes in business strategies

The biological tsunami of avian influenza seems to be yielding, and from the rubble we will slowly see what we need to do. While this year's outbreak is but the shadow of last year's (4.1 million sacrificed birds to 26 million, respectively), the point is that now the broiler breeder flock was affected. The impact, as expected, is being felt months later, in the absence of fertile eggs, which has caused chicken shortages and higher prices for the consumer.

This has pushed Mexican companies to go in search of fertile eggs in many other countries, such as our neighbors in Central America and, it is said, even in Colombia.

The search solves the immediacy, but in order to secure the future, changes in strategies need to be made. Perhaps before us there is already one: Bachoco just bought breeder farms in the United States from Morris Hatchery Inc. Strategy or opportunity? I do not know; we'll see later. The fact is that this move makes us think that the company is planning.

But, what about changing strategies in the country? The National Poultry Producers Association of Mexico, UNA, reports that the virus will be eradicated by 2015. The association also reveals that this year’s chicken production will be reduced somewhat between 1.5 and 2 percent, while egg production already fell 7 percent last year. Hopefully, soon we will see more clearly where we are going.